Leslie Kenneth Smith, born on 10th December 1915 and lived in Wantage, Berkshire, and worked as a Baker in the family business. He joined the RAF on June 3rd 1940. Les’ RAF number was 1163777. He served as cook and after initial training was posted to the Middle East on 25th April 1941 He served in 520 and 235 Air Ministry Experimental Stations moving with the mobile radar unit from Alexandria to Tobruk. He was taken prisoner in Tobruk on 20/6/42. and spent time in POW camps in Italy (Capua, Cordoncelli Benevento, Sulmona and Carpi di Fossoli )and then onto Stalag XVIIIC in Austria until liberation on 7th May 1945. He was POW No: 34090. He returned to Wantage to work in the family bakery business, married Nesta Wheeler in 1948, with children in 1952 (Hazel) and 1954 (Myself, Ann). Les died in 1958.
Letter (transcribed from hand written) to Leslie Smith from his friend Jock. I do not know of Jock’s full identity. Likely to be sent in 1942/3 in Italy while both were POW’s, Jock being in hospital. The letter written on very thin paper , was kept in a drawer at the family home in Wantage and discovered there in 2003:
Dear Les. So glad to hear that you and Dave turned up here. Well old boy, what do you think of this dump worse that the last don’t you think with no red cross or anything. I’m still in bed Les but hope to get up next week so I suppose I’ll see you in a fortnight. I’m getting better slowly but I thought I was going to peg out when they brought me in here and the Doctor says it was touch and go for a couple of days. You …and collect all my kit. Les, I think the Canadian Sgt or some of his mates has it. I’ll check up on it when I come back its my photos and souvenirs, I’m worrying about but I reckon the lads looked after them all right. I have no trousers down here so I’ll have to try and get a pair out of the store they have a few pairs here. I got a vest, pants and shirt from them so l’m not so bad for a change. We will have quite a lot to talk abat to make up for lost time about our travels in this country and about the boys in ?blue. Did you get a ………in the Duffy today, it bought my Tobruk days back again to me and I don’t think that there will be much left down there now. Well all the boys in the hospital are shit out of tabs and the general topic is food. I suppose it will be the same up there with you people. Smoking don’t worry me much now, Les, my tabs all went on buying Bread, Sugar and tea and I’m practically a non-smoker now. Tell Nobby Clark that the camp that we were supposed to go to is a smasher one of the boys here went down for a few nights and he is an old prisoner of the …family and he said it was the best camp he ever was in. Well Les please excuse my writing as I’m still very weak and I’ll say cheerio till I see you again. Dave I send him my regards. Cheerio and all the best your old pal Jock
PS Charles Myers send his regards to all the Boys including Bill Harrison and don’t forget to tell him….
….and he is my mucker here.
